The NFL Goes Back To Work: League Praised By Columnists For Not Missing Games

The more than four-month long NFL lockout was "a low stress, even enjoyable at times, soap opera for fans," proving that the NFL "even does labor disputes better than other leagues," according to Dan Wetzel (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/25). In Toronto, Steve Simmons writes the NFL "does lockouts well." There is "a simple reason why the NFL is bigger and better than every other pro league: It's because they're smarter." Simmons: "The poor NHL goes into lockout mode -- and poof! -- there goes a full season. ... The NBA goes into lockout mode -- and poof! -- there goes the beginning of the coming season, maybe the middle, quite possibly the end" (TORONTO SUN, 7/26). In Houston, Jerome Solomon writes the NFL is a "good business" because it "avoided the inevitable and unavoidable fan outrage had its labor dispute led to games being missed" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/26). In Boston, Bob Ryan writes this was "the perfect pro sports lockout, beginning when last season ended and ending with the loss of just one extraneous game, the Hall of Fame affair." Ryan asks, "Other than that, what did we miss?" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/26). In Detroit, Mitch Albom writes, "Now that's my kind of labor stoppage. Honestly. It was darn near perfect." Albom: "It pretty much looks like any other year. What labor stoppage?" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/26). In Atlanta, Mark Bradley sarcastically wrote, "If you're going to stage a work stoppage, you should at least stop some meaningful work" (AJC.com, 7/25).

NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THIS POSITION: In Ft. Worth, Clarence Hill Jr. notes we are "glad football is back," but football "should have never left." Hill: "Tell me what was accomplished in the past month that couldn't have occurred in March. The sad part is that the fans are going to be left holding the bag, paying a full price for an inferior product. ... Yes, we will have football. It will just be a watered-down, subpar production from what we're used to" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/26). CSN BAY AREA's Ann Killion wrote, "There's been no football deprivation. None at all. ... If there are any scars from five months of posturing and battling, they remain hidden" (CSNBAYAREA.com, 7/25). In San Diego, Nick Canepa writes the "only bad that can come out of this hair pull is the bearing of football." Canepa adds, "There was going to be football. There always was going to be football" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/26).